Coaster.



GOSTEE, APPLIUAMOH Pimm QUT. 12, 1911.

mmm Mar. 18, 1913.

UNITED STATES PATENT oEEIcE.

LUKE S.' MUBDOCK, OF CINCINNATI, OHIO.

COASTER.

vSpecification of Letters Patent.

Patented 3131118, 1913.

Application nled October 12, 1911L Serial No. 654,253.

a novel, light, economically constructed, conveniently operated andeasily balanced coaster or conveyance which may be instantly mounteddismounted and re-mounted and which is adapted to afford an attractiveand amusing mode of coast-ing or traveling.

Other objects, purposes and advantages of my invention will be s etforth herein. My invention consists of tread members, a supportingframework thereomand a balancing handle attached thereto.

My invent-ion also'consists in the peculiar construction, combinationand arrangement of the several parts as herein set fort-h and claimed.

In the drawing, which serves to illustrate the construction, use vandoperation, of my invention: Figure 1 is a perspective view ofthe deviceshowing itin operation; Fig. 2 is a view of part of the front end of thedevice, partly in side elevation and partly in vertical section; Fig. 3is a bottom view; Fig'.,4 is a top view showing the tread members indot-ted lines; Fig. 5 is a top view of the device when balanced at anangle to the perpendicular.

In the embodiment of my invention, as illustrated, and which shows'oneform of construction, l represents the supporting `member or platform ofmy coaster. This platform may be made of a board, strips of wocd,fmetalor other suitable material. A stationary bracket 2 is secured to theunder side of the rear end of said supporting mem'- ber by bolts 3 orotherwise, and is provided with downwardlv extending bifurcated orforked 'bearings 4 within which a wheel 5. is journaled and adapted torotate, said bracket being fixed on said supporting member so that thewheel coincides with a line extending longitudinally through the centerof said i supporting member or platform. f 5 5 A bracket-6 is secured tothe lower front part of the supporting member 1 by any- .of said bracketis shown in Fig. 2.l To this bracket I plvotally secure by suitablemeans, as'a bolt 8 or. otherwise, a bifurcated or and Vrearwardly fromsaid bracket 6 and has a wheel 10 journaled therein. Ball bearings 6 andthe bifurcated bearing member- Qat the pivotal journal.

the supporting'frame at an angle to the preferably-secured in fixedrelation to said supporting member, but may, if desired, be hingedthereto, to permit it to be compactly or runners, or may be otherwiseconstructed as desired. The tread members are mounted lin alinement witheach other when the coasteris moving ina straight line as shown in Fig.3, but when said coaster is traveling on a curved line said treads willvnot be in alinement with each other, as shown in Fig. 5'.

As shown in the drawing the support or bearing of the automatic front orsteering tread is placed atan angle with relation to the perpendicular4to theline of track made by the statioiari-ly mounted tread'mem'berSaid construction makes it natural for the to one side when the weightof the operator 'and the devicle is thrown out of perpendicular by thebalancing handle and provides a vsubstantially automatic steeringapparatus which will bring the supporting member or platform and thevweight-into perpendicular balance or erect position and the treadmembers into alinement or perfect track. The supporting member can bethrownout of perpendicular by the balancing handle and held there untilthe automatic steering member in its continued endeavor to bring theperpendicular balance, will turn a curve as the operator maydesire. Whenthe balance 'has been again thrown into perpendicular or erect position.the automatic steering tread on the. perpendicular and 4both the. treadmembers will again run in perfect track, or

' in the same track on .a straight line.

and intended for'usein coasting down a forked bearing 9 which projectsdownwardly are preferably provided bet-Ween the bracket:l

-A handle 12 issecured at the front end of folded with said support-ingframe. The tread members may consist of either wheels supportingplatformV and the weight, into member immediately picks up the balancesuitable means such as bolts 7, and one form axis of the stationarytread member and is pi-votally mounted tread member to swerve While thedevice is'paiticularly adapted it is also well'adapted and intended toruseI sloping s'iirtace it should bexunderstocd that ortraveling rapidlylover level surfaces vand .lio

in either case the balancing handle l2 enables the operator .13 to stand`in an easy.

attitude or position upon the supporting platform or' to'propel, bytheuse of one foot against the ground, and by slight movements of thehandle or body, or both, to maintain a perfect balance, conveniently andeasily guidingt-he coaster eitherv in straight or curved 4lines as'maybe desired.4 The device is one. which is adapted' todes velop skill anddexterity on the partof! the boy or other operator, in traveling withf seed. and in balancing andsteering upon:

either level or sloping surfaces. The wheels or tread surfaces areprefer ably curved laterally to permit ot a proper bear-ing upon thesurface at Whatever anglel` said treads be balanced.

A coaster constructed inaccordance withf .my invention permits. theoperator to ride? thereon lin a standing posture or in a sitting,posture, .1f jdes1red,jand'prov1des a devicei which is well adaptedforuse under varying?. conditions without or with snow, -sleet nr.ice;v

uponthe'surfaceby rollingor sliding.A

My invention' :is capable of some inodi-i cation without departure fromthe spirit ,orthereof, and lI do not, therefore, wish?, to e confinedtothe eXact'details of con-l struction as'liereinset lfort-h. -f

-1. 'In atwo-vvheeled coaster,the combina-I nection.v 1

attached thereto, a front wheel' pivotally attached at an angle to theperpendicular to'said supporting member with the axle* -and 'pointoftread of said front wheel in: 'the rear ot its point of connection tothe supporting member, and a balancing handle near' the front end ot the.supporting member.

.A coaster composed of a frame, a rear notions? wheel centrally andstat-ionarily mounted, a front wheel mounted lcentrally but tree to movefrom side to side accordingly as the coaster frame is tilted and.\vith'its movable connection to the traine in advance of the wlieels axis, tocause a drag that will.y steer and suitable means for tilting 'thecoaster trame as desired. i

tionary forked wheel mounting, a backwardly .inclined oscillatingforked, wheel mounting, and means :for holding the trame inanydesiredposition. .f

5. ln .a coaster, the combination ot a trame, a stationary fork at therear with a wheel mounted therein, a baclrwardly inf therein, and meansfor holding vthe operator in position on said trame.;

said front steerin wheel will swervefitrom side to side to, e ect a.steering when the ground is changed. 7. lln a two-wheeled coaster iwith the wheels thereof set in tandem, a trame, a stal tionary backwheel, a movably connected :trent wheel set at a backward angle to saidtrame, and means for tilting said trame and Othe groundtorcontrolling-the position yoit the steeringwheel.

mounted with its axis and point of bearing to the ground in the rear ofits connection 'tion trom sideto side governed by its angle tilting thevehicle to vary the angle of contact with the, ground to eiect thesteering desired.

LUKE S. MURDGK.

Vl/'itnessesz Jail/ins N. Ramsar, Gonnie Gonnon.

4C. ln a. coaster lthe combination ot two. single point bearlng wheels,a frame, a sta-v clined and backwardly curved' oscillating fork at the`front with a wheel mounted.

6. lln a ltvvoawl ieeled coaster with the wheels thereot'set in tandem,a trontsteerl ing wheel movably connectedtothe body of said coaster atsuch a backward/ angle that 'holding it in any de sredangle relative to8. 'ln a vehicle, a single steering wheel. n

to the vehicle, with an independent `free ino.

ythe wheel when the coaster trame is tilted,

angle 'ot' contact between saidwheel and the j ot-contact withrtheground and means tot@

